New U.S. citizens welcomed at Battleship New Jersey

The ceremony was held on July 4 for 42 people to become new citizens of the U.S.
Celeste E. Whittaker, @cp_CWhittaker

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Madiha Ameen of Pakistan smiles aboard the Battleship New Jersey as an official United States citizen following a U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services naturalization ceremony Wednesday, July 4, 2018 in Camden, N.J.(Photo: Joe Lamberti/Courier Post)Buy Photo

CAMDEN - The historic Battleship New Jersey on the Fourth of July was the perfect backdrop to welcome dozens of new U.S. citizens.

On a sweltering Wednesday morning a special naturalization ceremony was held for 42 new citizens from 28 countries around the world, some as far away as Turkey, Pakistan, Vietnam, Mali, Jamaica, Haiti, Poland, Portugal, Ecuador, Czech Republic, Bangladesh, Liberia, India, Germany, Egypt and France.

With the United States’ controversial immigration policies a hot-button issue right now, many who took their Oath of Allegiance seemed extra thankful to make their citizenship official.

U.S. Sen. Cory Booker was present to help welcome the new citizens, and the U.S. Navy Color Guard posted the colors. In fact, eight of the new citizens are members of the military.

The Battleship has held these ceremonies on Memorial Day and the Fourth of July in the past.

It was part of the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services’ annual Independence Day celebration. This year USCIS celebrates the 242nd anniversary of the Declaration of Independence and the nation’s birthday by welcoming 14,000 new citizens in nearly 175 naturalization ceremonies between June 28 and July 10, it says.

John Thompson, the district director for U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services in Newark, welcomed the crowd aboard the Battleship. It included those who were becoming new citizens and their friends and family members.

“More than two centuries ago, our forefathers declared their independence from Great Britain and proclaimed to the world that all men are created equal and endowed by their creator with certain unalienable rights,” Thompson said.

"...It is the spirit of independence that has guided our nation and its proud tradition of welcoming generations of immigrants such as yourselves to our shores. I congratulate all of you on this important achievement of becoming a citizen of the United States. Your hard work and determination have led you here today.”

Yury Vasilyev of Russia and his wife Jeanette were emotional after the ceremony. The Deptford resident was one of the eight military members to become a citizen at Wednesday’s ceremony. A member of the U.S. Army serving at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, he was overwhelmed.

“That means I finally found a home,” said Vasilyev, who has been in the U.S. for about five years. “When my family first got to the United States, I finally got this idea that I’m finally coming home but now it’s finally finalized and it’s official. I have the papers. This is my home. I’m not going to go anywhere; I’m not going to leave America.”

It wasn’t lost on him that Philadelphia was visible just across the Delaware River. It’s where the Declaration of Independence was signed in 1776.

“First of all, it’s a big holiday for all of us,” he said. “It’s Independence Day. It’s the birth of our nation. To be a citizen on this memorable day for our nations, it’s big.”

Said Jeanette: “It means the world. He’s wanted it for so long. Before I met him, he had planned to join the U.S. Army to get it and to serve our country. All he wanted to do was serve our country and become a citizen.”

Alpha Tall, 22, from Mali in Africa sat in the front row taking in every word. He currently lives in Reading, Pennsylvania, and is in the Air Force reserves out of Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst. His mother and other relatives attended the ceremony as well.

“I’ve been in the United States about four years,” Tall said grinning. “It’s great. It’s a great feeling. I love it.”

Booker told the crowd the oath they took is about love, commitment, dedication and determination. He spoke about the kind of unconditional love his mom has always had for him, offering him constructive criticism when he needed it.

“She criticized me not because she was trying to demean or degrade me, but because she wanted the best for me,” he said. “If you love something you want to elevate it and improve it. That is the call of love. We who say we love America must serve her, must defend her, must fight for her, must humble ourselves before our fellow Americans and try to elevate the whole.”

He said he believes the world needs America now as much as ever.

“It needs our heart, it needs our spirit, it needs our moral example, it needs our justice,” Booker said. “So I am thrilled today, I am excited to welcome people who have hungered to be Americans.

"I believe that with you as new citizens, small group that you are, joined together with other Americans that you are the hope of a nation,” he said. “You are the promise of all that we can become and that indeed if we do our duty like our ancestors did then, if we work enough and serve enough and help enough and heal enough, if we love enough, then future generations will have a better nation to celebrate, to enjoy and to continue to be a light unto all.”

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Madiha Ameen of Pakistan smiles aboard the Battleship New Jersey as an official United States citizen following a U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services naturalization ceremony Wednesday, July 4, 2018 in Camden, N.J. Joe Lamberti/Courier Post

Olivier Duverneau claps with his American Flag after officially becoming a citizen during a naturalization ceremony aboard the USS New Jersey Wednesday, July 4, 2018 in Camden, N.J. Joe Lamberti/Courier Post

Lt. Col. (Ret.) William LcLean plays the National Anthem before a U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services naturalization ceremony aboard the USS New Jersey Wednesday, July 4, 2018 in Camden, N.J. Joe Lamberti/Courier Post

Ameen Ahmad of Pakistan shields himself from the sun as his wife Madiha Ameen becomes a U.S. citizen during a naturalization ceremony aboard the USS New Jersey Wednesday, July 4, 2018 in Camden, N.J. Joe Lamberti/Courier Post

Madina Tall of Mali, Africa sits next to her sister Kade Tall, left, as she watches her son Alpha Tall, 22, become a U.S. citizen during naturalization ceremony aboard the Battleship New Jersey on Wednesday in Camden, N.J. Joe Lamberti/Courier Post

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Madiha Ameen, 37, got emotional as the ceremony went along, realizing the enormity of the moment as she sat with her husband Ameen Ahmad. She’s been in the U.S. for about 14 years.

A native of Pakistan, Ameen was thrilled to make her citizenship official and her husband hopes to soon follow her lead.

“I’m very excited and it’s a great opportunity to receive the certificate from the U.S. Senator from New Jersey,” said Ameen, who lives in West Windsor. “It’s an awesome feeling. Finally. It’s a great feeling.”

Her husband said it’s exciting.

“I’m just waiting for my turn to come up,” he said. “It gave us an opportunity for our kids and for us to grow our family here. All the things that the U.S. Senator said really excite us to be here and be part of this country.”